Experience the magical, spontaneous, and transparent qualities of watercolor! Mel will help you discover that watercolor is at its best when it is set free. Emphasis will be placed on gaining more confidence by simplifying your approach to subject matter, learning to paint with energy and focus, and bringing more transparency and vitality to your paintings.

Watch Mel demonstrate each morning in his loose, representational style as he discusses principles of design and composition and shows you how to capture the essence of the subject. With Mel always welcoming questions from students, the demo is spirited with an easy, open dialogue between Mel and the class. Personal attention is given while you paint and a class critique is given at day’s end.

Mel's workshops are comfortable, casual, and friendly… an enjoyable experience for all.

Mel Stabin is an internationally known teacher, author, and watercolorist. A graduate of Pratt Institute, Mel studied the art of watercolor with Edgar Whitney. For over thirty years Mel was an award-winning art director and creative director for major advertising agencies in New York City. He is a signature member of prestigious art societies including the American Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, North East Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, and New Jersey Watercolor Society.
For over twenty-five years Mel has conducted watercolor workshops with groups on location throughout the country and abroad, and for numerous art societies.
His paintings have been the recipient of national awards and have been represented in major exhibitions including the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Butler Institute of American Art, National Academy of Design, and Watercolor West.
Mel has had seventeen one-man exhibitions of his watercolors. His paintings are in many private and corporate collections. In addition to being a juror of selection and judge of awards for numerous national and international watercolor exhibitions, Mel was a director/juror of selection for the American Watercolor Society’s Annual International Exhibition. He received the honor of Master Status from the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, was named one of the “Top Ten Watercolor Masters of Today” by the art website www.artmatch4U.com, and was invited by the American Watercolor Society to do a demonstration for their “Watercolor Evenings” during their 144th Annual International Exhibition.
Mel has written numerous feature articles for American Artist, The Artist's Magazine, Watercolor, Watercolor Magic, & Watercolor Artist and is the author of two popular books, Watercolor: Simple, Fast, & Focused and The Figure In Watercolor: Simple, Fast, & Focused. Mel’s work can be seen on his website at www.melstabin.com.